boojum
Mentor
The camera and lenses were safe on the deck. ;o)
wlewisiii
Just another hotel clerk
Interesting. Is this just the case of the 50/1.5 lenses or is it true of the 50/2 lenses as well? I certainly don't notice any lack in my Nikkor 50/2, so I am curious.Nikkor 5cm F1.5, wide-open, on Tripod- Leica M9.
272 series CZJ Sonnar 5cm F1.5, wide-open, tripod, Leica M9.
Click on link, and load full resolution JPEGs. Taken a couple of minutes apart, as soon as I could change lenses.
The Nikkor- "Lifetime Bucket List Lens" for me. Would not trade it for anything. But- the Zeiss lens is better. Would not trade it for anything. The Jupiter-3 focus mount is better designed than the Zeiss LTM, more robust. The best of both worlds- a 272 Sonnar custom mounted in a Jupiter-3 focus mount. A lens like that deserves a lot of use.
On my list of comparisons to do. I have a pair of 5cm F2 Nikkors, a collapsible and a late rigid. Perfect glass. I also have a 5cm F2 Tanar.
The Nikkor 5cm F1.5 is very good, sharper than the Summarit and Xenon. The wartime Sonnars compare well against the C-Sonnar.
wlewisiii
Just another hotel clerk
I'll look forward to the comparison then and simply enjoy the Nikkor I have.
I do have my eye on a Canon... we'll see if it's still there come payday on Friday
brusby
Well-known
I'd like to see 'em too. And the 5cm Nikkor H.C f2 is one of my favorite lenses. Such beautiful images and so versatile with the close focus ability.I'll look forward to the comparison then and simply enjoy the Nikkor I have.
I do have my eye on a Canon... we'll see if it's still there come payday on Friday
A few months ago I did my own quick comparison of a pristine Canon 50mm f1.5, very clean '50 and '52 J3s and a couple of super clean NIkkor 5cm S.C. f1.4 all in LTM. My fav was the Canon. It seemed sharper and better defined. But this was a very quick test and I was mainly looking to weed out any clear losers. Luckily I didn't find a single one of those. All the lenses were very good to excellent, just not as good as the Canon for my taste. The Nikons were softer and lower contrast wide open but cleaned up beautifully just closed down one stop. I think they are excellent for more dreamy portraits and people shots and/or when used in their closer focus range between 0.5 and 1 meter.
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raid
Dad Photographer
I find that the Canon 50/1/5 ltm is an undervalued lens. I like using it, and the Nikon 50/2 ltm too.
Bingley
Mentor
I totally agree w/ Raid on the Canon 50/1.5 and appreciate Bruce’s remarks on the results of his comparison. The Canon (like most Sonnar formula lenses I know) does really well with color, in this case color film. The photos it makes are sharp but also have a roundness to them that I love. Here are three samples:
Q by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
Scooters, Alfas, and antipasti by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
Scooters, Alfas, and antipasti by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
Q by Steve Macfarlane, on FlickrScooters, Alfas, and antipasti by Steve Macfarlane, on FlickrScooters, Alfas, and antipasti by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
Bingley
Mentor
And it’s not too shabby with black and white film either…
RFF’s own bobkonos, a fellow Sacramento film photographer:
bobkonos by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
Turns out Parisians like air-conditioning, especially during a heatwave. French people in a Starbucks on the Rue de Rivoli during the Paris heatwave of 2018:
Air conditioning and conversation by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
Chateau de Chenonceau, Loire Valley, 2018:
Heat wave by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
RFF’s own bobkonos, a fellow Sacramento film photographer:
bobkonos by Steve Macfarlane, on FlickrTurns out Parisians like air-conditioning, especially during a heatwave. French people in a Starbucks on the Rue de Rivoli during the Paris heatwave of 2018:
Air conditioning and conversation by Steve Macfarlane, on FlickrChateau de Chenonceau, Loire Valley, 2018:
Heat wave by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickrf.hayek
Well-known
Changing the subject, aside from speed what differentiates the CZJ 1,5 from the f/2 in the rendering? They were contemporaries and I’ve wondered at just a hair under 1 stop difference why they’d be produced simultaneously.
boojum
Mentor
Yeah, all good. The bread is killer. The image is good, the story is good. I believe that photography, just like writing, has to tell a story. Look at Vivian Meier.I totally agree w/ Raid on the Canon 50/1.5 and appreciate Bruce’s remarks on the results of his comparison. The Canon (like most Sonnar formula lenses I know) does really well with color, in this case color film. The photos it makes are sharp but also have a roundness to them that I love. Here are three samples:
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brusby
Well-known
I understand that it's quite a bit easier to correct aberrations in an f2 lens than an f1.4, 1.5 or faster, and I believe the difficulties become logarithmlcally more difficult to correct in faster lenses rather than just lineally. But I'm not a lens designer and I'd be quite happy to be corrected if my understanding is not correct.
I love slower lenses when trying to maintain detail and convey a sense of correctness are important factors to me in the process of making an image. In this regard, one of my absolute favorite lenses is the lowly 5cm Elmar f3.5 together with many of the f2 lenses like the Nikkor H.C. 5cm f2. To me there is often something that feels more correct and subjectively right about images made with slower lenses. There's often a weight to those images that sometimes seems to be missing in images made with their faster brethren. Of course these are just generalities and there are plenty of exceptions.
OTOH, if trying to depart a bit from reality and inject a bit of magic dust are more important, I usually prefer the faster lenses like the Nikkor S.C. 5cm f1.4, 50mm Summilux, or even Noctilux or Canon 50mm f0.95, primarily for their uncorrected imperfections together with the ability to throw backgrounds more out of focus, often in interesting ways.
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brusby
Well-known
All very lovely images Steve. Thanks for sharing!And it’s not too shabby with black and white film either…
RFF’s own bobkonos, a fellow Sacramento film photographer:
Turns out Parisians like air-conditioning, especially during a heatwave. French people in a Starbucks on the Rue de Rivoli during the Paris heatwave of 2018:
Chateau de Chenonceau, Loire Valley, 2018:
I noticed that the Canon colors were very nice too, but I hadn't done enough in color to be confident of my findings yet. The colors you captured are beautiful.
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Bingley
Mentor
Thank you, Bruce!!
Bingley
Mentor
Thanks, boojum!!
Sonnar Formula Lenses: "Normal Lenses" 45mm to 60mm, 4.5cm to 6cm, Any Make
Post your images with Sonnar Formula Lneses, "Normal Range" focal length. Images from one lens, images comparing lenses. Zeiss, Nikon, Canon, KMZ, ZOMZ, Valdai, 7artisans, Tanack, Fuji, and I'll add here as they pop up. Starting this off with the first one I converted to Leica Thread Mount...
rangefinderforum.com
I've opened two threads for "all things Sonnar", one for normal range lenses 45 to 60 and a second for any focal length.
This can be for posting images, comparisons, and discussion for all things Sonnar. I'll be adding to it as time is available.
On the Canon 50/1.5- like many Canon lenses, the problem is finding one with good glass. Canon used some lubricant that tended to Etch glass. Finding a clean one is difficult. I have a perfect-glass Canon 50/1.5. I optimized it for wide-open use. Nikon optimized all of their lenses for wide-open. Canon- was setup for 1 stop down. I changed it. I also changed the optimization on the Bertele, and that will carry over to the production lenses.
wlewisiii
Just another hotel clerk
Yeah, watching a couple without haze though the cheaper one has cleaning scratches. That's usually not as bad but I'd be better off being patient. Just gotta remind myself of that. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I was given the chance to test a Second Bertele Prototype. This one is optimized for wide-open use, something that I suggested to Skyllaney. Mine was optimized for "about" F2.8 or so. For a couple of hours- I took it apart and changed it to wide-open.
SO- I'm the only person in the US to shoot with Two Bertele Sonnars.
It was drizzling outside- as it does much of the time for where this lens is headed.
SO- I'm the only person in the US to shoot with Two Bertele Sonnars.
It was drizzling outside- as it does much of the time for where this lens is headed.
Coldkennels
Barnack-toting Brit.
I commend the guys at Skyllaney for putting this together, but it's all a bit too... pictorial for me. And that's coming from a guy who basically lives with a Summar in front of his face!
Of course the lens can do much more in the hands of other photographers.
I'm probably influenced by the many photography books from the 1930s that I've picked up to go with my lenses.
www.flickr.com
Matt Osborne has been shooting with one.
This image by Matt Osborne is my favorite- wide-open.
Matt will be doing a review of this lens.
I was offered the Prototype that had been through the "wringer" to test out the mechanism. Close-up test, repeat close-up test, focus backlash test, flatness of field test. and infinity test. It won. With the quick exam, off to the new owner.
I'm probably influenced by the many photography books from the 1930s that I've picked up to go with my lenses.
Bertele 50mm f2 Prototyle (New Sonnar Leica M lens)
Explore this photo album by Matt Osborne on Flickr!
www.flickr.com
Matt Osborne has been shooting with one.
This image by Matt Osborne is my favorite- wide-open.
Matt will be doing a review of this lens.
I was offered the Prototype that had been through the "wringer" to test out the mechanism. Close-up test, repeat close-up test, focus backlash test, flatness of field test. and infinity test. It won. With the quick exam, off to the new owner.
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boojum
Mentor
Nice lens! I like it.